


I Never Liked the Color Purple

by Pachinko_Lessons_101



Series: We Never Liked the Color Purple [1]
Category: Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: AU where the mycelium is a parasite, Angst with a Happy Ending, Breakfast in Bed, Ex is actually pretty nice to Grian, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Grian knows robotics, Grumbot can talk, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Crying, M/M, Multi, Mumbo is stressed, Nightmares, Pain, Respawn Mechanics, Suma still hates him though, Temporary Character Death, grian is not having a good time, im not gonna tag all of them--, minecraft personas ONLY, update tags as story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:01:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26433823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pachinko_Lessons_101/pseuds/Pachinko_Lessons_101
Summary: Grian's side of the storyGlitches are not rare, but not very common either. The most that players usually expect is a chicken stuck in the air, or someone stuck flying for a few seconds after they land. But what would the players of Hermitcraft do when they find out that the latest glitch they've encountered is much more dangerous than they would have thought?Chapters will start off pretty short, but they will get longer in the future!!If you spot any spelling/grammar mistakes, please let me know!
Relationships: Evil Xisuma/Helsknight, Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, Xisuma/Keralis, etho/doc/bdubs/beef, zedaph/tango tek/impulse
Series: We Never Liked the Color Purple [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921447
Comments: 39
Kudos: 100





	1. A Small Speck

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I am Glitch, and I am rather new to posting fanfics, not to say I haven't written any in the distant past though, so I may make some mistakes along the way--

Glitches are not rare, but not very common either. The most that players usually expect is a chicken stuck in the air, or someone stuck flying for a few seconds after they land. But what would the players of Hermitcraft do when they find out that the latest glitch they've encountered is much more dangerous than they would have thought?

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a normal morning on the Hermitcraft server, with everyone starting to leave their bases into the warm morning light. All but one, that is. Grian had been awake almost the entire night, thinking of new builds after waking from a bad dream. Grian, of course, told no one of this. Though, due to pulling another all-nighter, he had forgotten about the Hermit Challenges that Mumbo had told him about. 

It was around noon when Grian finally emerged from his hobbit hole, a small pep in his step as he walked towards his mansion with new build plans sketched out on many papers. As he walked past Scars snail Larry, he noticed a small speck of purple. As he walked towards it, a sense of dread settled into his stomach, but he was used to the feelings of bad ideas. 

When he stopped in front of the small speck, the ground seemingly fell out from underneath his feet. No sound was able to escape Grian as he fell for what felt like forever, until a death message appeared on his communicator. 

‘Grian, Etho, Zedaph, and Welsknight fell out of the world’

The panic was immediate, with Suma going right to investigating the codes, to Mumbo and a few others heading to where the ones who fell last slept. The shopping district was now seemingly empty. 

When Grian woke up in his bed, he felt utterly exhausted. Not even able to move his head, he could only figure out who was next to him by the sound of their voice. “Grian?”

“M-Mumbo? What happened?”

A small frown crossed Mumbos face out of the corner of Grian’s eyes. Mumbo sighed and gently turned Grian’s face to face him. “Well,” Mumbo started after a small lapse of silence, avoiding the others eyes as he spoke, “you and a few others fell into the void, but don’t worry! Suma is looking into what happened right now, so there’s no need to worry!”

A shaky smile spread on Grian’s face, “How long have you been waiting for me?”

“Not too long, to be completely honest, just long enough to start getting worried it was a… perma situation.” Mumbo trailed off from there, eyes downcast, missing Grian’s shaken look.

The two sat in silence, Grians mind going a mile a minute while Mumbo was trying to convince himself that Grian was really there and he was safe. After what felt like forever, Grian brought himself to a sitting position, slightly leaning on Mumbo for support. A sigh escaped Mumbos lips as he held Grian close to his chest, letting the other practically lay on him as they lapsed into a more comfortable silence. Grians mind being settled by Mumbo's steady heartbeat, and Mumbo's worries being soothed by Grians small body in his arms.

“Hey, Mumbo,” Grian started, breaking the silence, “has Suma said anything yet? I..” He trailed off, seemingly forgetting what he was about to say.

Grians silence earned him another worried look from Mumbo, but this time Mumbo could see the unfocused look in Grians eyes. Mumbo pulled him closer to his own chest, shifting to almost lay down on Grians small bed. Said man let out a small groan as Mumbo moved him, small shocks of pain and soreness shooting down his arms and legs. 

“No, he hasn’t said anything yet. Would you like me to ask him?” 

Grian shook his head, trying and failing to hide a wince, “No, it’s.. it’s alright. I don’t wanna stress him out too much. He’s already got a lot on his plate with what is going on I-”

He was cut off by Mumbo placing a gentle kiss on top of his fluff hair, and he immediately melted into Mumbos chest, a few silent tears falling from his eyes. Mumbo rubbed Grians arm gently as he began to hum a soft song, the low notes reverberating from his chest in such a way Grian just wanted to fall asleep forever then and there.

“When was the last time you got a proper sleep, Gri?” The question caught Grian a little off guard, his eyes fluttering open as he slightly turned to meet Mumbos eyes.

“I think I slept three nights ago, I couldn’t sleep last night though.” Grian looked away, burying his face into Mumbos chest, taking in a deep breath as Mumbo tightened his hold around the brown haired man. “Then you should sleep now.” was Mumbos only response.

“What? But I-I can’t, I’ll just wake up and..” Grian trailed off as new tears started to fall, silent sobs shaking his entire frame. Mumbo began to pet Grians hair lightly, resuming the small tune he had been humming earlier. It was then that Grian let himself really cry, sobs ripping themselves from his chest as he buried himself deeper into Mumbos safe hold, wishing that he could just sleep. 

Neither of them knew when they fell asleep, but the next thing that Grian registered was Suma and Joe entering his hobbit hole. Sitting up with a wince, He greeted them with a smile. “Hello Suma, Joe. What brings you two here?”

Suma and Joe gave each other a pair of looks before Suma spoke up, “We are here to check up on you after you fell through the void. Mumbo never responded to any of our messages, so we came over to make sure you two were okay.”

Joe piped up, “But I guess the two of you are doing okay now, right?”

Memories of the morning before began surfacing, causing Grian to give a small shudder at the reminder of him falling for what felt like forever. “Do you know what caused it?”

Suma shook his head with a frown, his brown eyes hardening slightly. “No, not yet at least. I may bring my brother into the picture to help me figure it all out, but that will be a.. last resort.”

Grian nodded, eyes drooping slightly as he looked down to Mumbo, who was snoring softly, oblivious to the conversation above him. He must have been staring for longer than he thought, since the next thing he knew, Suma and Joe were leaving with quiet goodbyes and wishes of good sleep. He didn’t know when he curled back up into Mumbos warm embrace, but he did know that he was happy. He finally let himself drift to sleep, letting the memory of Mumbo singing while he cooked and humming a silly tune as he worked on his strange redstone contraptions lull him to sleep.


	2. Free Mornings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly fluff between Grian and Mumbo!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lost my glasses before writing this chapter, so expect a few mistakes here and there until I find them--

When Grian awoke a second time, it was because of the sudden chill that wrapped around him. It took him a minute to blink the sleepy tears out of his eyes, but once he was able to process where he was, he picked up a sweet scent. It was then that Mumbo walked into Grians room, holding a tray with two plates of food. The two of them made eye contact, and Mumbo smiled sweetly at Grian. “Good morning, sleepyhead! How was your sleep?”

Grian was silent, watching Mumbo with a quiet smile as he walked over to the bed. “It was alright, I guess.” Grian started, pausing to shift so that Mumbo could rejoin him on the bed. “Suma and Joe visited this morning, though. Apparently you never messaged them back, so they wanted to check up on us.” 

Mumbos' smile widened slightly, bringing Grian closer to him so the tray of food could rest on both of their laps. Grian looked down and gasped softly. “I thought you said you couldn’t make these yet!”

Mumbo let out a soft laugh, one that only Grian and a few others could hear, before taking a piece of a strawberry and crepe and bringing it to Grians mouth. As he chewed, he could only melt against Mumbo with a soft hum of appreciation. It wasn’t every day that he got to have his favorite breakfast. Mumbos soft voice began, “When we are done eating breakfast, I have some things I’d like to do with your help. Is that alright?”

Grian nodded, eyes half lidded as he was fed by Mumbo, his head leaning against the tallers shoulder. When Grian was finished eating, Mumbo began eating, finishing quicker, but a little messier. Grian laughed under his breath as he wiped some whipped cream from Mumbos cheek. “You’re such a spoon, Mumbo.”

The two began moving again after a short cuddle session, both getting ready for whatever Mumbo had planned. Grian, who felt like he was floating from the night before, slipped on a simple red turtleneck with elbow length sleeves, while Mumbo brought out a black sweater vest to put over a clean dress shirt along with some black slacks. As they left the hobbit hole, Grian took a deep breath, letting his eyes flutter shut as the warm sun hit his face. 

Mumbo watched this with a fond expression, his mind drifting to almost two and a half years ago when Grian first joined them on the server. The two walked slowly towards Grians mansion, where the nearest Nether Portal lay almost underneath the large building. As they went along the path both Grian and Scar had marked out, Mumbo's hand brushed against Grians, eliciting a small jump from the latter. Mumbo grinned as he leaned over the top of Grians head, planing a soft kiss with an over exaggerated noise, causing the two to burst into giggles. 

Now, with their hands locked, they continued on, making small talk. Then Grian felt a pit settle into his stomach, causing him to pause mid-step. “What is it, Gri? Did you spot another bird?”

Grian shook his head, eyes narrowing as he looked around, until he finally found it. “Mumbo, call Suma.”

Mumbo raised a brow at this, “What do you mean? I thought you didn’t wa-” he was cut off by Grian turning towards him quickly, a look of fear mixed with urgency plastered on his face.

“Call Suma, Mumbo.”

He nodded, taking out his communicator, and sent an urgent message to Suma followed by their coordinates. 

It took what felt like forever for Suma to arrive, Doc trailing along behind him. “Hello Mumbo, Grian. What's all this fuss about?”

Grian immediately pointed where he had been staring or the past five minutes, a small speck of purple laying on the bright green grass. “So… what are we looking at?” Doc questioned, earning him a glare from Grian.

“I didn’t just fall through the void for no reason. Before I fell, I was reaching for a speck similar to that one right there.”

Suma was silent as he slowly walked up to it, Grian protesting softly before Mumbo pulled him back towards him softly. As Suma crouched to examine the speck, he pulled out his communicator, sending a message faster than Grian or Mumbo could read it. 

Suma let out a sigh as he stood up from his crouched position, turning towards Doc, asking if he could put up some tape to quarantine the area. Doc responded with a nod, taking some bright yellow and black tape, most likely from season six, and began taping the area off. 

As Doc was doing that, Suma walked up to Grian and Mumbo. He gave Grian a grateful smile, his eyes seemingly more tired than before, causing a small pang of guilt to shoot through Grians heart. “Thank you for letting me know about this Grian, it will help a lot. And if you find any other specks, please, “ Suma placed a hand on Grians shoulder gently, looking right into his mitch-matched eyes, “and I really mean it, please tell me as fast as you can. We don’t know what these things are, and I don’t want what happened yesterday to happen again if I can help it.”

Grian nodded, swallowing his heart as Suma finally pulled away from his space. Grian and Mumbo watched as Doc and Suma walked away after sending out a server wide announcement regarding this new glitch. After a few beats of standing still, Mumbo took Grians hand again and began walking once more.

A blank look crossed Grians face as his mind began to wander once more. They eventually arrived at the mansion, Mumbo taking a moment to appreciate all that Grian has done to it so far. The two put on their elytra and began to glide down to the bottom portion of Grians portal. As they walked through the hot and stuffy Nether, Grian decided that he was grateful for picking out one of his thinner sweaters, otherwise he would be practically melting in the heat that surrounded his body. When they finally arrived at the Shopping District, both of the men took deep breaths of fresh air, dispelling the hot air that they had been breathing in not too long ago. 

“So, before we begin, do you wanna stop by the Barge? I think a few people mentioned that you have some diamonds waiting for you.” Mumbo said, turning towards Grian.

Grian nodded, squeezing Mumbos hand before he began to lead the way to his shop, finding some joy hopping from one mycelium block to another. When they arrived, the shorter of the two detached their hands, much to their displeasure, and began checking the many barrels pressed against the side of the Barge. 

“Almost three full stacks! And I sold some dirt!” came Grians light voice from the middle of the shop, bringing a smile to Mumbos face as he began towards Grian. “That’s pretty great, Gri!” Mumbo said, wrapping his arms around Grians waist. Mumbo set his chin on top of Grians head as he began turning the single diamonds into diamond blocks. The two of them gently swaying to an unheard song, listening to the birds chirp outside the Barge windows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! comments and kudos are appreciated!


	3. Falling Freely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I found my glasses almost five minutes after writing this,,, also, all of my classes start on Wednesday, so updates will vary--

After Grian finished at the Barge, putting up signs that promise more stock soon, he and Mumbo left towards Grumbot, Mumbo leading the way this time. 

The two of them made more small talk along the way, laughter ringing through the shops that the other Hermits had built. As they slipped their elytra on, Grian asked what they would be doing when they got to Grumbot. Mumbo only replied with, “It’s a special surprise, birdy.”

The nickname rung around Grians head as the two of them flew over to Grumbots platform, both landing gently on end rods. Grumbot greeted the two with a wide eyed smile, his screen seemingly brightening when they arrived. Mumbo spoke loudly as he smiled up at Grumbot, “Hello Grumbot, how are you today?” 

Grumbot seemed to perk up at the question before his eyes seemed to brighten as he said, “I am doing very well dad one! How are you?”

Grian froze as he stared wide eyed at Grumbot, not believing that his over-sized son was actually talking. “I-Wh-Grumbot, I..” said robot turned towards Grian, a smile still playing on his screen. “How are you able to talk?”

Grumbots expression somehow brightened even more at the question, “Well,” he began, “dad one updated a bunch of my systems, so I can talk now!”

Grian looked towards his mustached friend with a small smile. Mumbo returned said smile and asked if Grian knew any robotics. “I do, actually!”

Both Mumbo and Grumbot ginned at this, Mumbo immediately asking if he would be interested in helping him make Grumbot a smaller, more human-like form. Grian thought for a moment before saying, “Only if I can do the same for Jrumbot.”

Both Mumbo and Grumbot nodded, the conversation slowly slipping into more soft topics, all three of them excited for what the future now holds. Eventually, the sun began to set, the small family having spent the day spending time with each other. As they said their goodbyes, Grian and Mumbo took off to the sky. 

Not wanting to walk through the Nether, they decided to fly towards their bases instead. Though, halfway over the Shopping District, Grians elytra broke. Mumbo had been flying too far ahead to catch Grian before he hit the ground, but when he did notice Grian wasn’t with him anymore, he was too late.

‘Grian hit the ground too hard’

Grian awoke with a gasp, shooting up from his bed. As he looked around his room, spotting a chest that had a sign saying that his things were in there. Grian looked down at his hands, a shaky breath leaving him. He began to lose himself in his thoughts until Mumbo walked in. The two made eye contact as Grian took in his dear friend's appearance. His sweater vest was missing, and his dress shirt and slacks were all wrinkled. The next thing Grian knew, Mumbo was wrapping his arms around Grian, shoulders shaking as if he were crying. 

Grian tried to pull Mumbo away, but to no avail. “Mumbo, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Mumbo pulled away, looking Grian dead in the eyes. “Am I okay? Wh-Grian, are you okay?”

Grian gave Mumbo a confused look as more tears fell from his black haired friends eyes. “What..happened, Mumbo?”

Mumbo let out a shaky breath as he pushed his forehead against Grians. “You didn’t re-spawn for almost three weeks…”

Grian felt as though he had fallen through the void again. 

“M-Mumbo, I-” He was cut off by Mumbo kissing him softly. Grians eyes fluttered shut as he kissed back, rubbing his hand up and down Mumbos arm in a comforting manner. As they pulled away, Grian reached up and wiped Mumbos tears from his eyes, a smile toying on his face.

Mumbo leaned into Grians hand, a soft sigh leaving him feeling drained. “I know I just woke up, but do you wanna take a nap? I think we both need some cuddles at the moment.”

Mumbo simply nodded, and the two of them shifted back into Grians bed, Grian practically on top of Mumbo's chest, listening to his heart beating. As Mumbo began to pet his hair, Grian began to sing softly, trailing his hand up and down the taller man's chest. He could feel the tension seep out of Mumbo, and the thought came to him. Is this feeling of softness what Mumbo felt the other night? Their roles were practically reversed when compared to last night. 

Eventually, Mumbo stopped petting his hair. Grian finished his song not too long after, and the two of them fell into a gentle sleep. 

The next morning, Grian woke up before Mumbo, which is a rare occurrence in itself. He let himself lay in Mumbo's warm embrace before he slowly got out of bed. As he snuck out of the room, he decided that he would make a simple breakfast for Mumbo. 

Grian ended up losing track of time, and soon enough the sun was really rising. Luckily, he had finished making the pancakes and cutting up some fruit. He plated the food and brought it to the bedroom where Mumbo was still sleeping. 

A soft smile spread across his lips as he placed the food on a side table near the bed. As he stopped beside Mumbo, he let out a soft hum as he bent down and kissed his forehead softly. As Mumbos eyes fluttered open, Grian continued to kiss all over Mumbos face, causing Mumbo to start giggling, trying to push the shorter man away. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Grian said with a bright grin. Mumbo hummed as he sat up, trying to pull Grian back into the still warm bed. “Good morning, Birdy. I’m surprised you woke up so early.” 

Mumbos voice was raspy and deep with sleep, his words causing his chest to vibrate. Grian smiled as he buried his face into Mumbos neck before he remembered the food. “I made us some breakfast.”

Mumbo let out a hum of appreciation, opening his eyes and looking towards the plates next to them. He brightened up almost immediately, “Pancakes?”

Grian let out a small giggle, “Yep, I wanted to say thank you, and I wanted to say I’m.. I’m sorry for worrying you so much these past two days…”

Mumbo tightened his arms around Grian for a second before planting another kiss on top of his head. “It’s not your fault, Birdy. I don’t blame you for what’s been going on.”

The two sat in silence once more before they sat up completely and began eating breakfast. Once they finished, Grian pulled Mumbo back into bed, latching his arms and legs around his torso. A small laugh left Mumbo as he pulled him impossibly closer.

Neither of them noticed the purple that seemed to paint Grians fingertips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!


	4. So it Spreads

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I already posted today, but I want to get as many chapters posted as I can, while I still can--

As the two cuddled, Grian and Mumbo talked about what had happened during the three weeks Grian had been gone. Apparently, Suma had figured out what the glitch was, and had been working with his brother, Ex, to get rid of it. That had been a week ago. 

Mumbo told Grian how no one knew why it had taken Grian so long to re-spawn, but a few were theorizing that it had something to do with how he fell through the void the day before. As Mumbo spoke, Grian nodded along, trying to take and hold onto as much information as he could. After almost an hour of catching up, they pulled away from each other, looking into the others eyes. 

“It feels like I only fell yesterday.” Grian mumbled after they went silent.

Mumbo nodded, bringing his hand up to Grians cheek, letting it sit there comfortably. “I.. I missed so much. And Grumbot, how is he?”

Mumbo let a smile form, his thumb stroking Grians cheek softly. “He’s doing alright,” he started quietly, “but he ended up watching you fall, so he was really worried. Maybe we should go visit him after you rest a little more.”

Grian relaxed slightly, a numb feeling settling on top of his fingertips, encouraging him to move them slightly. The two eventually left the bed, Grian demanding that Mumbo take a shower and clean himself up. As Mumbo was doing all his self care stuff, Grian went to do the dishes, taking note of how there weren’t as many as there should be if Mumbo had been staying here for three weeks. 

When he finished his chores, Grian went to wash his hands, watching as the water fell from the faucet and on to his purple tipped hands. Grian froze, staring at his fingertips. He turned off the water and dried his hands, hoping that it was something from when he was making breakfast earlier that day. He was wrong, though. 

Grians breath stuttered as he examined his hands, a light purple that faded into a more royal color topping off the first knuckle on each finger. When Mumbo walked over to Grian, he found him staring at his hands, eyes mixed with fear and confusion. The shorter male turned towards Mumbo his hands now on full display. Mumbos eyes were drawn to them, and his eyes widened in surprise at the unnatural color painted on them. “What happened? Did you get food coloring on your hands this morning?”

Grian shook his head, sending a slightly anxious look towards Mumbo. “I didn’t even use any food coloring this morning, and I didn’t crush any blueberries for the pancakes either. I don’t even know when this happened…”

Mumbo frowned, taking Grians hands into his own, placing a small kiss on each of the fingertips. A soft blush dusted Grians cheeks, letting himself be pulled towards Mumbo, the two beginning to ballroom dance slowly, in the middle of Grians kitchen. Mumbo began to sing a soft song, stepping to the beat. Grian joined in, as the song was one he was familiar with, feeling himself relax as he rested his head against Mumbos chest, a fuzzy feeling setting into his chest, causing his heart to flutter.

When they finished the song, Mumbo let out a soft breath, leaning down to place a kiss to Grians cheek. Grian let out a soft giggle as Mumbos mustache ticked him softly, both of them feeling comfortable in each other's presence. 

After they pulled away from each other, they left to go see Grumbot and Jrumbot, as Mumbo had moved the latter from his shop to Grumbots platform. Before they left, though, they both double checked each other's elytra, not wanting to risk another break and fall.

When they arrived, Grumbot and Jrumbot greeted them with bright screens, both happy to see Grian safe and moving. “Dad two, you’re awake! How are you feeling?” Grumbot asked, moving one of his large hands on the platform for Grian and Mumbo to step onto. 

As they were lifted up, Grian examined Grumbot's screen, a fond look on his face as he responded, “I am feeling much better now, but I am sorry for worrying you when I fell.” 

Grumbot shook his large head slowly before bringing Grian closer to him, Mumbo watching the two from the fingertips of the large hand. Grumbot pulled Grian into a strange hug, as Grian was less than a quarter of Grumbots size. Grian let out a choppy laugh, blinking back a few tears that had begun surfacing. “I’m gonna need to start on your and Jrumbots new bodies so we can give you two some proper hugs.”

Grumbots screen shifted to where he looked as though he was grinning underneath his artificial mustache. He could hear Jrumbot let out a happy cheer from below them, a smile finding its way to Grian's face as he turned towards Mumbo. Said man grinned at him, “Maybe you can start tomorrow, take the rest of today to rest and catch up on everything.”

Grian nodded in agreement, looking back up to Grumbot. Said robot slowly lowered his hand down to the platform again, allowing the two humans to slip off and onto the flat surface. They gave Jrumbot a hug before they took off once more, this time going to visit their dear friend Iskall. 

When they arrived at Iskalls base, the tree having grown larger since Grian last saw it, Iskall almost screamed his head off when he saw the short man. Sweeping Grian into the air and swinging him around in circles, Iskall went on and on about how much he missed him. Laughter rang out from between the leaves as Mumbo was pulled into a group hug, 

As they all pulled away from one another, Iskall gave Mumbo a knowing look before they kissed Grians head, Mumbo nodding as they did so. A small blush dusted across his face, his hair being ruffled by the swede. 

The three began to walk around the tree, Iskall giving them a tour and showing off all that they had done since they were last there. Grian let out a sharp laugh when he saw a parrot land on one of Iskalls many chests, he happily bounced towards the bright colored bird. 

Suddenly, some music began to play from a jukebox somewhere behind him, and he happily watched the red parrot dance along to the song, he himself nodding his head along to the beat. When the song ended, the parrot flew up and made itself comfortable on top of his head, chirping softly in content as Grian stood up. He could hear Mumbo and Iskall laughing behind him, a smile making its way to his own face as laughter began bubbling up as he began to walk towards the other two.

“Are you sure you aren’t part bird, Gri?” Iskall asked, his eyes bright. Grian grinned up at Iskall, giving them a playful glare.

“You can’t just give away my secret like that, Iskall!”

This caused another bout of laughter from the three friends. They eventually walked deeper into the tree trunk, the parrot having migrated into Grian arms. When they reached ground level, Iskall showed them a few of his farms. 

They all ended up hanging out with each other for hours, the parrot falling asleep to Grians petting. When Grian finally yawned, everyone took notice of the time. Seeing that it was almost time for everyone to go to bed, Grian and Mumbo said their farewells, hugging the swede and promising to visit soon. 

The two left, this time going to Mumbos base, as his bed was much bigger than Grians. When they arrived, Mumbo gave Grian some clothes to borrow before he left the bedroom to change and get himself ready for bed. Grian sunk into the large, plush bed with a pleased sigh letting his eyes slip shut as he pulled the covers over his shoulders. 

When Mumbo walked back into the room, Grian was half asleep already, letting out a small whine when Mumbo moved him over to the side so that he could slip into the bed as well. Mumbo set Grians head on his chest as he began to hum and pet his hair, not unlike he had three weeks ago. He could feel when Grian fell into a deep sleep, his body becoming heavy as he relaxed in a way not many got to see. 

Mumbo fell asleep not too long after Grian did, the feeling of love towards Grian filling his heart. Though, he was woken only a few hours later by a pained shout from Grian. 

The purple had spread.


	5. Sleeping Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared for some angst--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one because I am stress writing and I needed something to do--

Grian didn’t know what was happening, just that there was pain. Everything was dark as his heart began beating faster and faster. This wasn’t one of his normal nightmares, that was clear. He could feel someone trying to wake him up, shaking him back and forth quickly, but that only seemed to amplify the pain, causing what sounded like a phantom to grow louder. The shaking stopped and the noise died down, his own body shaking with the force of his own sobs.

Everything was too much, the darkness was suffocating, exactly like the void. He felt weightless and yet like he was falling to his death, like when his elytra broke. He felt too hot and too cold, almost as if stuck between the freezing End and the boiling hot Nether. He couldn’t even feel the tears on his cheeks anymore.

After what felt like forever and yet no time at all, his mind began to clear as he woke up. Voices rang above him, but his head felt like it was completely underwater by how they sounded. He struggled to crack his eyes open, wanting to escape the smothering darkness all around him, but nothing worked. 

Then the pain came back. It was somehow even worse than before. His body tensing and untensing as waves of pain pulsed throughout his body, fresh tears falling from his eyes as he couldn’t even scream.

It was too much. 

Then it stopped. It wasn’t gradual like before, it was sudden as his eyes snapped open, his lungs gasping for breath. There was Mumbo, tear stained face at his left, holding his hand tightly as though his life depended on it. And then there was Suma and Ex, the two of them shaking and looking as though they would both start crying if given the chance. 

Grians head lulled over to face Mumbo as he squeezed the raven haired man. Said man began to sob as he brought Grians now purple hand up to his forehead, tears falling freely. Grian said nothing as he did this, his mind slowly working out his surroundings. “Mu-Mumbo…” Grian was surprised by how raspy his voice was, trailing off when Mumbo looked up at him.

:Grian, you... oh my god, you’re alive, I-” Mumbo was cut off by his own sobs, bringing Grian close to his chest, wrapping himself protectively around the other. Grian let himself relax into Mumbos arms, eyes drooping as his body shook from the aftershocks of his sleep. A small whimper left him as he buried his face into the crook of Mumbo's neck.

Grian could hear Suma and Ex talking above him, but his head still felt as though it was filled with cotton balls. Mumbo slowly pulled Grian away, and Suma appeared in his line of vision. Sumas lips were moving, but Grian couldn’t hear him, or at least he couldn’t hear Suma. When Ex spoke, it was like wearing headphones. “Grian, can you hear me?” 

Grian looked towards Ex, looking into his red eyes, his head moving slightly in a nodding gesture. Ex smiled and sat in front of Grian, replacing Suma in his line of sight. “Do you remember what happened?” 

Grians eyes dulled slightly, looking towards his hands in a way of denial, but he began to panic instead. All of his left hands fingers were covered in the strange purple coloring, his right hand not far behind on the coverage. He felt Mumbo begin to rub his back, as Ex tried to get his attention back on him, but nothing seemed to be working. A red parrot then appeared in his line of sight, landing on his hands, effectively blocking them from sight. Without being able to see his hands, Grian began to calm down. He then heard a strange beating next to him, and he leaned towards it.

Mumbos breath stuttered as Grian leaned back into him, his eyes fluttering as the smaller man buried his face into Mumbos chest once again. Mumbo looked up to Suma and Ex, eyes swimming in tears as the two sent him reassuring smiles. “I think he’ll be okay now, Mumbo.” Suma started, moving to sit next to him and lay a hand on Grians head, “But if something like this happens again, please call us.”

Mumbo nodded quickly, looking back down at Grians half lidded face. He let out a shaky breath as he caressed the man's face, wiping away his tears. Grian let out a small whine, bringing one of his hands to grip Mumbos shirt. Grians mouth began to move, but no sound came out. Grian eyes narrowed as he tried to force himself to speak, but Mumbo placed a kiss against his lips to stop him from trying again.

Grian seemed to melt into Mumbos arm, his eyes closed when he pulled back. After a moment of silence, Ex helped Mumbo move Grian back into bed, Ex tucking the two in after Mumbo slipped in as well. The Albino placed a small kiss on Grians head, whispering good luck to the two of them. Then they left.

Mumbo brought Grian to his chest, the smaller seemingly coming back to his own mind, everything seemingly being processed at once. 

And it all hit Grian like a truck.

Grians body shook with harsh sobs as fat tears ran down his face. Mumbo held him protectively, whispering comforting words into his hair as he rubbed his back. “It’s alright, Birdy, you can cry. It’s alright, you’re safe now.” 

Grian wanted to simply bury himself into Mumbos arms at that point, he didn’t want to move any more. He didn’t want to think anymore. All he could do was cry in Mumbo's arms as the fear he had felt during his dream, if he couldn't even call it that, fully processed in his mind. 

It took a while for Grian to calm down enough to stop sobbing, but the tears never stopped. Mumbo didn’t mind, though, and simply let Grian cry into his chest. When Grian was able to bring himself to talk, all he could bring himself to say was, “I love you.”

This caught Mumbo off guard, but he smiled softly, his own tears brimming his eyes as he placed a kiss on Grian's forehead. “I love you too, Birdy. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”

Grian nodded, bringing one of Mumbo's hands up to his lips, placing a small kiss on his fingers. “I don’t want to sleep anymore.” Grian whispered.

Mumbo let out a sigh as he brought Grian up to the crook of his neck, letting the latter lean into him once more. “I know you don’t, but I’ll protect you if you do. I’ll always protect you.”

Grian let out a stuttering laugh, a new tear falling and landing on Mumbo's neck. “You’re too good for me, Mumby. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how you deal with me.”

Mumbo smiled softly, burying his nose in Grians hair, taking a breath of cinnamon and pine trees, “I can ‘deal’ with you, because I love you, Grian. Nothing you can do would ever stop me from loving you.” 

This was the last thing that was said between them that night, as Mumbo began humming a new tune. Grian slowly drifted into sleeps embrace as he knew he was with Mumbo, the tallers heart beat against his own. 

Nothing else happened that night, and the only thing heard for the rest of the night was Mumbos humming as he stayed watch during the night. Never drifting off in fear of his little Birdy getting hurt again.


	6. Update: Not a Chapter

This fic is going to be updated super slowly now that school has started, if you didn't notice already--

I am working on a one shot book during classes, so it would be cool if you would go check that out while I work on chapters 6-8!! 

Thanks for reading!   
-Starz


	7. Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It continues.

Grian woke up from a dreamless sleep, his mind too worn out to create a dream. He couldn’t tell where he was at first, but the feeling of wind on his face and the sound of Mumbo humming told him that he was in Mumbo's megabase. Grain breathed a sigh of relief as he buried his nose into Mumbos stomach, letting his arms wrap around the man. 

Mumbos humming went silent as he continued petting Grians hair, the two sitting in a comfortable silence as birds chirped not too far away. “Are you okay, Grian?”

Grian shifted to look up at Mumbo, the taller man’s eyes looking tired and older than they should. “I feel a lot better now that I’m with you, Mumby.” he started, bringing a hand up to Mumbos cheek, pulling him down. “I feel even better knowing that you love me.”

Mumbo blushed as a smile crossed his lips, his eyes crinkling slightly as he teared up. Seeing Mumbo about to cry, Grian sat up with a wince and pulled him into his arms. As Mumbo began to cry, Grian whispered how proud he is of him, and how strong he is for getting through all that’s been going on. He told Mumbo how he was happy that Mumbo has been with him throughout everything and that he couldn’t be happier being where he was.

Eventually, they left the bed with slightly wet eyes and got ready for the day. Though, with every move Grian made, a shot of pain hit his hands. He couldn’t help but stare at them. Not even a month ago they were completely normal, a pale peach tone that matched the rest of his body, only darker due to how long he stays in the sun to build. 

Mumbo wrapped his arms around Grians waist, resting his chin on top of the shorter’s head. As they swayed, they whispered to each other how much they love each other. They both needed the comfort of the others’ words after what happened the night before. When they left Mumbo’s base, the bright light of the sun didn’t bother them as much as it had when leaving Grians base.

Grian let out a tired laugh as Mumbo took it upon himself to carry the short brunette all the way to the shopping district. It felt nice, not having to worry about much, the thoughts of the purple stans coating his fingers had almost completely disappeared as Mumbos scent swirled around him. It made him dizzy, but Grian didn’t mind at all. He liked it, to be honest.

Grian blushed as Mumbo placed a small kiss of his cheek before setting him down. Grian almost lost his balance as his head spun, but Mumbo was there to help steady him. They walked around the shopping district, happily greeting the other hermits that they passed by. They eventually ran into Ren and Impulse. The four of them continued their stroll together, Ren and Impulse explaining that they were taking their own breaks from building fr the day. Grian offered to help, but Mumbo said tat Grian could only do ground-level stuff until further notice. Grian felt a pang of hurt shoot into his stomach, but he understood where Mumbo was coming from. Mumbo was worried for Grians safety, and Grian knew he would do the same with Mumbo.

They all spent the day together, sharing laughs and small stories as they went around and bought materials and little toys from their friend’s shops. When the sun began setting, a sense of dread wrapped around Grian. Darkness meant night, and night meant sleep. Grian didn’t want to sleep. Not after what happened last night. Mumbo and the others noticed Grians sudden silence, so they silently decided for a sleepover. Mumbo took Grians hand as he led him to Grian's mansion. The bottom floor was finished and furnished, so that would be the area everyone would seep, but Grian still didn’t understand what was going on. All he felt was dizziness. Grian wheezed as he collapsed next to his bed. His head hurt and everything felt like too much. Then everything went dark. It scared Grian, but suddenly he was enveloped in warmth and light. It was almost too much.

Grian barely struggled as Mumbos voice made its way into his ears. When he opened his eyes, he was confused. His left eye was seeing perfectly fine, he could make out the minor details on Mumbos ace, but everything looked blurry and broken in his right eye. Anxiety filled Grian as he looked into Mumbo’s eyes. His boyfriend (was that what they were to each other? Grian didn’t know right then) Looked as though he had been crying, Ren and Impulse were on either side of the raven-haired man. “Guy’s, what’s wrong? You look a little worried…” Grian laughed nervously, moving his stained fingers to run through his hair.

Ren was the first to move, bringing Grian into a tight hug. Impulse and Mumbo joined in not long after. Ren was the one to tell him that the purple spread. Grian felt like he wanted to die. Was he ever going to get cured? Was this purple stuff even curable? Grian cried softly as his friends held him. 

No one came looking for them the next day, but Grian didn’t care. He just wanted everything to be normal again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's short, but I wanted to put out a chapter for this book before I continue other projects-- Know that I will still write here as often as I can though

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! It means alot--


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